Supporters Take Petition To City Hall To Try To Keep Downtown YMCA Open

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The YMCA in Downtown Pittsburgh is set to close next week after filing for bankruptcy earlier this month, but now there's a last-minute push to try and save it.

Exercise equipment, coolers and other things were removed from the facility ahead of its scheduled closure on June 8, and there is little doubt there will be a void in the landscape of downtown workout facilities once it's gone.

But the people who use the gym and who work there say the hole is going to be much larger.

"The work the Y does through the local food banks, you know, that's all through the downtown YMCA," said Heather Roberts, a YMCA fitness instructor. "My favorite, personally, is the Turkey Trot. Every Thanksgiving that's a staple in Downtown Pittsburgh, and that's another example of what comes out of this Y, making it not just a gym."

Those most familiar with the Downtown branch of the YMCA say it means more to the community than a place to work out.

That's why some supporters on Tuesday took petitions to keep the Y open to Grant Street.

"We have well over 400 signatures from people who belong, work Downtown or don't belong but want the community resource," said Felicia Snyder, a YMCA member.

With petitions in hand, supporters took the names of hundreds of people to City Hall. Stopping first at the mayor's office.

"We're here to bring awareness to the mayor, City Council. This is your City of Pittsburgh speaking out. Can we sit down and talk?" said Roberts.

Mayor Bill Peduto was not available on Tuesday, but they did catch up with Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald.

Snyder: "Anything that we can do to come together to try to keep this open? You only see people come together like this is when we have natural disasters."

Fitzgerald: "I'm not sure what the City and County can do with a private entity like this, but I just talked to the mayor, and I didn't know all the details, but what we would like to do is possibly schedule a meeting."

The Y has already starting clearing out the Downtown space, moving non-essential equipment to other YMCA locations. So it's not clear whether a meeting will be able to stop the closure.